Vapor generator for supplying va



T.B.LAYD VAPOR GENERATOR FOR SUPPLYING VAPORIZED LIQUID T FUEL BEDSWITHIN COMBUSTION CHAMBERS May 2, 1950 Filed Oct. 27, 1947 54.5 Fig. 3 i

Thomas B. Layden INVENTOR.

Patented May 2, 1950 STATES EPATENT OFFICE VAPOR GENERATOR FOR SUPPLYINGVA- PORIZED LIQUID T0 FUEL BEDS WITHIN COMBUSTION CHAMBERS Thomas B.Layden, New Brunswick, N. J.

Application Gctober 27, 1947, Serial No. 382,310

1 2 (llaims.

This invention relates to new and useful immovements in vapor generatorsand gas producers, and the primary object of the present invention is toprovide a device which will supply a proper amount of steam or moistureto any boiler or furnace, increasing its combustion and decreasing fuelconsumption.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a deviceapplicable for con ventional house furnaces to supply a predeterminedamount of dry vapor to the hot coals of a furnace to increase the flameemitted from the coals to the top of the furnace.

A further object of the present invention is to provide avapor-generating and gas-producing device which is adapted for use withall types and grades of fuel such as coal, wood, and the like and whichcan effectively be employed in conjunction with warm air, steam, vaporor hot water heating systems.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a device ofthe aforementioned character that is simple and practical inconstruction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive inappearance, manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes forwhich the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a conventional furnace, andshowing the present invention applied therewith;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the present vapor generator;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantiallyon the plane of section line 3--3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the present vapor generator.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

wherein, for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferredembodiment of the present invention, the numeral ill represents aconventional furnace structure including an ash pit l2, grates M and acombustion chamber it.

Leading from a suitable source of liquid is a supply conduit I8 that isprovided with a lower control valve 20 and an upper control valve 22having an outlet nozzle 24 depending therefrom that opposes the upwardlyflared end 26 of an elbow pipe 28 receivably engaging the outerterrelatively inexpensive to minal at of a conduit or feed pipe 32 thatpreferably extends horizontally through the rear wall 34 of the furnaceand into the combustion chamher 56.

The numeral it represents the present invention generally, comprising apreferably rectangular casing having spaced parallel side walls 33 and49, an upper wall 42, a reduced bottom wall it, upper end walls it and48 and downwardly inclined lower end walls 5!! and 52. A substantiallyrectangular chamber 54 is provided in the casing 36, and communicateswith internally threaded nipples 56, 58, and 60 that are respectivelylocated in the walls 36, 42 and E6.

The nipple 55, which, for clarity, will be referred to as the liquidsupply nipple, receivably engages the externally threaded end 62 of thefeed pipe 32 so that liquid may be supplied into chamber 54.

Operatively connected to the nipple 6i) and depending therefrom is apreferably vertical vapor supply pipe 54 that extends through the coalsor the like 56 into the ash pit l2 and which is embraced by a heatresistant asbestos sleeve 68.

Receivably engaging the remaining nipple 58 is one of the externallythreaded ends 10 of a substantially inverted U -shaped vapor supply pipe12, the other leg I l of which terminates above the coals 66 in thecombustion chamber.

It should be noted that the lower terminal of the supply conduit I8 iscoupled, as at 76, to a horizontally disposed spray pipe 13 that extendsthrough the rear wall 34 of the furnace and into the upper portion ofthe ash pit l2.

In practical use of the device, water is supplied to the pipe 32 bycontrolling valve 22! so that a predetermined amount of fluid will enterthe casing 36. t is preferred that the valve 22 be a usual drip valvethat will supply approximately 6 to 12 drops of liquid per minute intothe pipe 28.

Obviously, the heat in the furnace will aifect the casing 36 and causethe liquid in the chamber 5d to vaporize. The amount of air which isdrawn into the generator with the liquid creates a dry vapor of whichapproximately ninety per cent is drawn down through pipe 64 to the ashpit l2 and then through the hot coals 66, making gas which increases thenormal flame emitted from the coals. Approximately ten per cent of thedry vapor that leaves chamber 54 passes through pipe 12 as a booster forthe coals. The intense heat going through the stack 8% creates a naturaldraft and must be controlled by the turn damper. Any openings in thefire door 82 are sealed or glass inserted so that the operator may seethe gas burning. Because of the expansion of the dry vapor, once thefire is started and the generator 36 heated, there is no draft requiredexcept that which goes through pipe 32 and the generator, and thusprevents the body of the coals from burning away too quickly. Pipe 18 isonly used to wet down ashes before shaking the furnace.

It has been found that the furnace equipped with the present inventionwill burn efficiently for twelve hours without refueling or attentionand that an obvious reduction in the dust from the ash pit and smokefrom the stack is apparent.

In View of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of thedevice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention. as herein described and within the scope of th appendedclaims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with a furnace having an ash pit and a combustionchamber, of a vapor generator and gas producer comprising a liquidchamber positioned in the combustion chamber and adapted to be embeddedin fuel within the combustion chamber, means for supplying apredetermined amount of liquid to the liquid chamher, and means forconducting vapor formed in the liquid chamber to a fuel within thecombustion chamber, said liquid chamber having a tapered endfacilitating the same to be extended into a fuel within the combustionchamber, said last=-mentioned means including a conduit leading fromsaid liquid chamber and adapted to extend downwardly through thecombustion chamber and fuel positioned in the combustion chamber, and afurther conduit leading from said fluid chamber and disposed above thefuel in the combustion chamber, said first mentioned conduit having afire resistant covering.

2. In combination with a furnace having an ash pit, a combustion chamberand a grill mounted in said furnace between said ash pit and saidcombustion chamber; a vapor generator and gas producer comprising anelongated casing having a tapered lower portion adapted to be embeddedin fuel within the combustion chamber, said casing having a liquidchamber in the upper end thereof, a first port provided in said casingcommunicating with liquid chamber, means for introducing a predeterminedamount of liquid into said liquid chamber through said first port, asecond port provided in said casing communicating with said liquidchamber, an auxiliary vapor supply pipe leading from said second portand having a delivery end adapted to be spaced above the fuel in saidcombustion chamber, a third port provided in said casing communicatingwith said liquid chamber, and a main vapor supply pipe leading from saidthird port, extending downwardly through said combustion chamber andentering said ash pit for delivering a vapor into said ash pit wherebythe said vapor entering the ash pit will rise through the fuel on saidgrill.

THOMAS B. LAYDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 418,104 Alley Dec. 24, 188931,682 Alley July 8, 1890 431,928 Alley July 8, 1890 1,135,275 GareauApr. 13, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 88,081 Australia Apr.25, 1922 465,511 Germany Sept. 19, 1928 565,627 Germany Dec. 3, 1932

